The historical role of the United States (US) in India’s agricultural advancement is a significant part of the bilateral relations between the two nations. This relationship, particularly seen through the establishment of agricultural universities and the Green Revolution in India, mirrors the Soviet Union’s contribution to India’s early industrialization. With the forthcoming visit of the Indian Prime Minister to the US, reviewing these ties becomes essential.
The Role of US in Establishing Indian Agricultural Universities
Founded by Govind Ballabh Pant, the first agricultural university in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, was established following the US land-grant model. Officially named G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on November 17, 1960. This institution aimed at offering an effective environment for learning, problem-solving research, and distributing knowledge to farmers by amalgamating teaching, research, and extension services.
Following this, Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) Hannah’s blueprint paved the way for setting up eight more agricultural universities in India. These universities were endorsed through faculty training, equipment, and books by the US Agency for International Development. Each of these universities contained research farms, regional stations, sub-stations, and seed production facilities.
Contributions of US to the Green Revolution
Norman Borlaug from the US initiated the Green Revolution, which involved breeding semi-dwarf species with sturdy stems that could endure high fertilizer application. The introduction of ‘Norin-10’, a short wheat variety, yielded 25% higher grain crops. Borlaug brought these to cross with spring wheats in Mexico, transforming India into a self-sufficient country in wheat production. The new wheat varieties were first planted in the trial fields of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and the agricultural universities at Pantnagar and Ludhiana.
The Reasons Behind US Aid to India
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines were chiefly financed by the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations. Along with quadrupling grain yields, these foundations played a significant role in creating a resilient indigenous crop breeding program in India by investing in ICAR and state agricultural universities system. The concept of a minimum support price (MSP) and local market availability for cultivators was first proposed in a 1959 Ford Foundation team’s report.
During the Cold War period, the competition between global powers extended to battling world hunger and sharing knowledge was viewed as a global public good. This scenario benefited India’s strategy of “non-alignment”, allowing the country to gain support from different blocs.
UPSC Civil Services Exam Questions Related to the Topic
In the 2008 Prelims, a question was asked about Norman Ernest Borlaug’s nationality, who is considered the father of the Green Revolution in India. The correct answer was the United States of America.
In the 2012 Mains, a question was raised about why the Green Revolution virtually bypassed the eastern region of India despite the good availability of water and fertile soil.
